The present invention relates to a dense free flowing titanium having mean particle size of from about 10 to about 40 .mu.m and purity greater than 99.5%, and a method for preparation thereof.
Titanium dioxide can be prepared via the "sulfate" process or by the hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride. In the latter process, titanium tetrachloride is added to water to form a titanium dioxide hydrolysate. The hydrolysate is then calcined to form the finished titanium dioxide pigment. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,426,788, a titanium tetrachloride solution is added at a controlled rate to a small amount of hot water maintained at or near the boiling point. The titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed and precipitates out. The hydrolysate is then calcined. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,337,215, a titanium oxychloride nucleating material is used to initiate the hydrolysis of titanium salt solutions.
A disadvantage to these prior art processes is that the hydrolysates so produced do not result in a uniformly sized titanium dioxide final product. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 2,426,788, for example, the precipitation rate is rapid, and is essentially completed in a very short time after solution addition stops. While this produces a very small particle size, the size cannot be controlled within narrow limits. Such small particle size products tend to agglomerate and resulting powders are "sticky" rather than free flowing in nature. Dry blending with other powders is usually difficult.